The mission of El Rancho Del Rey is to be a Christian home that provides care, education and support for children who are from broken homes and/or are at risk, and strives to produce citizens who will be good examples to their families and useful members of society.

Our vision is that the same model that was established at El Rancho Del Rey in 1956, which furthers the well-being of children and young people, might continue and be replicated in other parts of the nation; bringing the same quality of care, education and faith to other children in Mexico with the hope of improving their quality of life, while at the same time facilitating and encouraging their full potential.

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Froylan, a new boy! with amigos Pancho and Pepe

Hola mis amigos y mis amigas!

Announcing a new development at El Rancho!   Hailee and Dorinda, two young women from our Cornerstone friends in PA, arrived last week to work as interns, to learn the inner workings of the Rancho, to support us with their talents, love and energy.  They’ve already been hard at work beautifying the grounds, and have begun teaching a schedule of English classes and reading in Spanish with the boys.

Dorinda, Mine and Hailee

Hailee, sometime after leaving at the end of the school year (early July), plans to join the navy to work as an interpreter.  She was an excellent student of Spanish in high school, and is fluent in reading and writing Spanish, and on her way to spoken fluency.  The boys with their fast speech are rather hard to understand at times.

Dorinda took a leave of absence as office manager for a physician to join us.  Although a young thirty-something woman, she is an old-timer here at the Rancho, having been part of visiting teams for 10 years.  She misses Mom, as we all do, but we are already enjoying the boost and blessing they both have already become.

A week ago we celebrated Children’s Day, “El Día Del Niño”,  here in Mexico.  Alex and company provided lots of extra fun and you can see from the photo that our sweet tooth was indulged – 2 cakes! It is a very special day in Mexico.  It is celebrated widely throughout Mexico – clowns, parties, piñatas, games. We ate chicken salad for a special cena (dinner) and held a special worship service for many, many guests.

Love,

Danny

Hailee and Dorinda making the campus prettier!

P.S. (from Susan, a helper with the website)

Gracias for all your messages, prayers, and special gifts. Please remember to pray also for  provision for our regular expenses. Don’t forget that you can give via the PayPal button with a credit card or your PayPal account. We are hoping to set up a mechanism for automatic monthly withdrawals for your convenience, but haven’t figured it out yet!

Children's Day cake - it tasted good, too

Hola amigos!

So much has been going on at the El Rancho Del Rey.  Dan’s energy has been occupied by a whirlwind of challenges and activity, so I asked if I (friend from Greenwoods team) could write a blog for him.

What’s been happening since Dan’s last blog?

1.     A visit from us, the Greenwoods gang – painting a mural on the entrance wall,  work on the campus to bring it into compliance with fire and safety codes, office work, activities for the boys, website work

2.     A wedding right on campus – our very own Elda (the daughter of Wichy – himself a former El Rancho boy- and Lety, now dorm parents) married a wonderful young man from Epy’s congregation

3.     A protracted process of bringing the campus up to safety, health and fire codes, required in order to obtain state certification, as a result of new laws passed regarding children’s homes

4.     Completion of all paperwork related to #3

5.     Consultation with lawyers about changing the legal status of El Rancho Del Rey, from a ‘civil association’ to private ownership to protect the future of the ministry

6.     An appeal for help with immediate financial challenges resulting from items #3-5

7.     A wonderful response to that appeal, with over $42,000 received (towards a need of $150,000) in less than six weeks

8.     A steady stream of supportive letters/emails from encouraging friends

9.     The construction of a tiny but modern infirmary (in order to have a central location for first aid supplies and bed to isolate sick boys) thanks to the generosity, hard work and gifts of friends

10.  A scare during one of our border crossings to pick up mail – car was confiscated (but later retrieved by paying a substantial fine) and all packages lost

11.  Changes to our mailing system to avoid unsafe travel to McAllen, Texas

12.  Hank’s hospitalization for severe dehydration and confusion

13.  Hank’s steady return to strength and health with some lingering short term memory loss

14.  A spring break with no break for Dan

15. All boys back from vacation, except Edwin, who is expected on Sunday (this is always an important matter for prayer).

You can find more information about El Rancho by clicking on the WayPlaces link in the left sidebar menu.  WayPlaces are our regular newsletters and updates to friends via email/snail mail.  The most recent issues (numbers) contain information about our current challenges.

Above all, we know ‘who holds tomorrow’ and ‘who holds our hand’.  We know that the Lord is our Mighty Fortress, our Rock, our Strength, and Help in trouble.  And we are deeply grateful to all of you, our supporters, our partners, our friends.

Yours in Christ, for Dan and Hank and the whole gang,

Susan

Hola Amigos:

Today is a cold, sunny morning here in Mexico, and the mountains surrounding El Rancho Del Rey Children’s Home are bathed in a golden, winter beauty that only these Sierra Madre Mountains can offer.

We were visited, via phone call, by an El Rancho’s long time friend and supporter, Richard Waring. He called to ask how we were, and how the Ministry here in Mexico was doing, and to hear, first hand, a report on the state and future of the work.

I had just driven in from seeing the dentist for a blockage in the left side of my mouth, keeping the saliva in my cheek and below my left ear, causing discomfort, dry mouth and bad looks…

But as I took Richard’s call, I was reminded through his soothing British accent that, we are not alone!!! Praise God for the prayers of those, like Richard and Cheryl, who love the Lord and the Ministry of El Rancho Del Rey, and who do not cease to remember us and present us before the throne of the Father.

Like the Warings, many of you are praying and want to know about us and about The Ranch of the King. Thanks for being faithful and keeping in touch throughout these many years.

I would like to express the gratitude in our hearts at this time, for your faithful, prayerful support, and also report to you that all is well here at El Rancho Del Rey.

We begin this 2012 with the same vision, hope and expectation as when it all started to take form, back in 1956… We continue to “Build Character upon the Cornerstone”, while helping our “Muchachos” get ahead in life through faith, education, sports, nutrition, counsel, example, guidance and lots of love!

Our Staff is also committed to helping these lives that have been entrusted unto them, offering their service to the King, and willing to pay a price to do so. This has been

a difficult year for them, with new government requirements and regulations which add new work and study loads.

Visiting teams from different parts of the U.S. have not allowed bad news coming from Mexico to discourage them from visiting, but rather keep planning for their next visit. That is because they have seen that their visits play an important role in our lives as they work on the campus grounds and in the office, cry, sing, pray and laugh with us, minister to us here on the Rancho and in the villages, and as they play with and love our kids.

Dad’s (Hank Moller’s) health has also been very good, or as he would say when asked, “How are you?” – “I’m doing good for an old geezer”… Those first school days back in Sep. and Oct. 2011, when we reported to you and asked for your prayers because of Dad’s frequent vomiting, physical weakness and no appetite have been replaced by, almost always, three meals a day and a good appetite, plus restful siestas, while keeping a sharp memory, alert mind and clear vision!

Tuesday is a special day; Dad will be receiving an award for 55 years of service in the community from hands of local officials and from our Rancho Del Rey boy’s primary & secondary teachers. He is not crazy about these events but I think it’s overdue!

Evil also seems to have permeated and broken loose in Mexican society – at all levels like never before; yet we testify that the Lord’s hand of protection has been over each of our children, staff and visiting teams. This too is possible thanks to the intersession of our  friends and sponsors…YOU!

Where are we going??? Ahead, toward the mark, of the High Calling in Christ Jesus… Seeking to be here, providing an environment for those in need of a place they can call HOME,  and to continue the programs which have worked thus far.

We also continue to seek the Lord concerning the possibility of providing further education for the boys so that those who graduate from secondary school with us, and who have good grades or show a desire to continue their education, may do so while continuing in a Christian environment, so as to better prepare these youngsters to go out into the workplace and raise families with hearts to follow the Lord.

It is clear to me, and I hope I was able to convey this to the Warings as well as to you through this report, that the Lord is present here at El Rancho. Not only as the All Present God that He is, but as He has promised in Zeph. 3:17 “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing”.

Thank you again for all you do and have done for the Kingdom of God, and especially for us here at El Rancho Del Rey!

Love,

Dan

P.S. We added another new boy, Jakob (6th grade)  yesterday.  The boys always do a great job of welcoming a new member into the El Rancho family.

And the reward for reading this far:

Dad (Hank) with plenty of love even for visiting gringos, loving co-workers in the kitchen, and our annual Christmas presentation about the Lord of Love!

Hola:

A visiting team of twelve, from Pennsylvania, are at present cutting grass, cooking, painting the inside of the 65-year-old adobe hacienda house, and repairing the roof.  PTL for His care, not only for our lives, but also for the buildings that house us.

Saturday they are planning a children’s fiesta, and have invited the Rancho boys’ primary and secondary classmates to join them in a Mexican fiesta.  Folklore dancing will be presented by Raul, an ex-Rancho worker, who is now a full-time schoolteacher, and who in his spare time teaches traditional Mexican dancing. While Epy leads in games and competitions, folks in the kitchen will prepare to serve up hotdogs and chili beans, followed by brownies and ice cream for desert, a big treat for all of us.  The goal is to have a fun time, eat well, break down barriers, and present the love of Jesus and His Word to each heart present here that day.

On Sunday the group wants to visit ‘the brethren’ at Pastor Fidel Gallegos’ Church to celebrate the work that has been accomplished through the generosity of those who have contributed toward the Church Roof Project.

Stay tuned for photos!

When will you join/form one of these visiting teams, and become an eyewitness to the Lord’s goodness and provision?

Dan Moller

Update on Pastor Fidel’s Church Roof Project in Three Parts (a pretty long blog, and wonderful photos) – a series of three emails with photos, and snatches of translations – ending with a Grand Victory!

Part One

Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2011 (regarding installation of the rebar)

Hno. Daniel, te envio avances hasta el dia domingo, el dia de Hoy martes y miercoles se termina de simbrar con el favor del Señor Jesus, para continuar con el armado del fierro. Hay otra opcion, visita a las 9:00am del miercoles para considerar el colado,  Dios mediante pudiera ser el lunes…Un excelente Tarde…

Dios te Bendiga….Hno. Daniel.

Part Two

Date: 12 October 2011 (next day)

Hno. Daniel.

Te envio fotos al dia de hoy miercoles 12 oct. esta es el area de la losa. el area restante es para la escalera. misma que enseguida se estara trabajando.

Dios te ama.  Hno. Fidel

Part Three (the big day!) – Full translation follows and lots of photos

18 October 2011

These photos are of the cement pour made yesterday on Aposento del Rey Church Roof.

Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and thank you, our Rancho Amigos, for your contributions making this Project a possablity and a reality!!!

Fidel’s words translated below..

Hno. Danny. Por fin ya quedo realizado la gran placa de concreto. te comento que se llevo 3 metros cubicos mas…y que tuve un gran equipo, como estan acostumbrados a la cerveza por supuesto que no les compre, mas si les pague por el dia…aa y una carne asada…Gracias a Dios se completo….Tengo ganas de ir al rancho el fin de semana como ves!!…con mi familia.

Dios te Bendiga…..al bajar de la montaña me vine con mi biblia levantada con una gran Victoria……

Saludos!!! A Hno. Enrique. y A los chicos del Rey….Te saludo con Gusto…. Hno. Fidel.

Translation:

Bro Danny. ‘m Finally, the great concrete slab was poured. It took 3 cubic meters more of pour, than projected … and I had a great team, who (those with the cement Co.) are accustomed to beer….. of course no beer was supplied for them, but they were payed well … aa, and were also served barbaque and plenty to eat … Thank God, we reached the mark ….My family and I would like to visit with you this weekend!

God bless you ….. I came down the mountain with my Bible held up to the heavens, what a Victory!!!

Greetings to Brother Henry and The boys of the King …….. I greet you with joy, Brother Fidel.

Now enjoy the photos – pictures that are worth a thousand words!